"It's-A Me! Smartio!"

The first “Super Mario Bros.” game is one of , if not the most, significant video game in history.  It almost single-handedly brought the entire console games industry from the brink of collapse and ushered in the NES era.  For some people, the name Mario is synonymous with video games, and it all started with this little cartridge.  However, very few people have taken the time to examine the deeper philosophy behind Mario.  Just as Mario himself teaches us, there is a lot more to this world than meets the eye.  Come with me as we explore just what Mario can teach us.

Left to Right

Mario has a goal, he wants to save the princess.  He approaches this goal with a single-minded determination.  Mario only goes forward. He never goes back.   Once he has passed an area he doesn’t go back, even if an extra life goes off the left side of the screen, Mario refuses to go where he has already been.  Think about how powerful this message is; No matter the reward, you have to keep going forward.  Mario is showing us how important it is to never waver in the pursuit of our goals.  How many times in our daily lives do we lose sight of what we are really after?  Mario is showing us the way to achieve whatever it is we dream about.  He has shown that with hard work, determination, and unwavering commitment, as well as pharmaceutical grade mushrooms, you can do anything.

Princess is in another castle

For some, reaching the end of the level, only to be informed that the princess is in another castle, is nothing more than a lighthearted joke.  For others, it is a terrifying glimpse into the heart of toad cross dressing.  Closer examination reveals that once again Mario is teaching us.  Even in the face of adversity and mistakes, Mario continues on his course.  It is through his unwavering determination even in the face of setbacks and creepy, cross-dressing toadstool men that he is able to eventually save the princess.

Level 1-2

This level takes Mario inside the castle. It is here that he show how important it is to think outside the box.  What appears to be the top of the level is really a shorter, easier path.  Mario is able to go beyond what appears to be limitations.  He is able to break free of the confines of the level and he is rewarded for this insight with the ability to skip ahead.  Mario is showing us how important it is to look past your initial perceptions.  Mario has pierced the veil that covers our existence and seen into what lies beyond.  Mario is like a springy Buddha teaching us to look beyond the illusions of our reality.

Plumber

It often forgotten these days with all the Kart racing and Brawling, but Mario is a plumber.  If you look at “Super Mario Bros.” you see hundreds of pipes.  These pipes symbolize Mario’s abilities as a plumber, and by extension, the abilities of the working man.  Because Mario is a plumber, he is able to use the pipes throughout the levels to warp ahead.  Mario is utilizing the symbol of his profession, and his class, in a way that someone who was not a working man could not.  This sends a powerful message about the powers of the working class.  He is demonstrating the powers even the poorest and hardest working among us have.

Goombas

Mario is Italian, and the enemies that he is stomping into the ground are called Goombas.  The term goomba has long been an derogatory term for Italians.  Mario through the physical act of crushing these Goombas is destroying stereotypes.  He has shown that racism is ridiculous.

So there you have it. A glimpse into the deeper philosophy that underlies “Super Mario Bros.”  Do you have any further insights?  If so share them with us below.

Tags: Editorials, Goombas, Mario, NES, Princess Peach, Super Mario Bros., Toadstool, What Games Teach Us

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 5th, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.